This invention relates to a golf ball launching device.
Heretofore, various types of equipment have been used for testing golf balls and the like. In some cases, use has been made of a mechanical device which is programmed to swing a golf club in a repeated pattern for driving golf balls in seriatim from a fixed tee position in order to test for travel distances of the golf balls. In other types of equipment, pneumatic launching devices have been used to launch a golf ball from a tube through a path along which sensors are provided for recording the flight of the ball. Still other types of launchers are known which utilize pairs of moving endless belts to launch a golf ball from between the belts.
One particularly known launching device employs a barrel into which a golf ball may be mounted via a hinged cover in the side of the barrel. In this type of launching device, the ball has been abutted against a sealing ring within the bore of the barrel. After closing the cover, a pneumatic charge is delivered to the barrel so as to push the ball through the sealing ring and thence out of the barrel at a high speed. However, one of the problems associated with this type of launching device is that there has been an inconsistency in the velocity of the balls which have been launched. Typically, this inconsistency has been found to be from xc2xdto 2 feet/second (fps).
In order to accurately measure the characteristics of a ball, it has been necessary to have consistency in the spin and velocity of the launched ball, for example, for measuring distance, for determining the coefficient of restitution and for measuring impact, among other matters. If the velocity changes, the ball may not hit the target against which the ball is to impact or may not land where the ball is intended to land on a range, for example to measure bounce.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to obtain a consistent velocity in the launching of a golf ball from a pneumatic launching device.
It is another object of the invention to be provide a simplified launching device for launching golf balls at a consistent high speed.
Briefly, the invention provides a golf ball launching device which is comprised of a barrel having an elongated bore and a movable cover for providing access to the bore, means at one end of the barrel for injecting a blast of air through the barrel and a support means mounted in the bore to dispose the center of a ball on a longitudinal axis of the bore between the means for injecting the blast of air and the cover. That is to say, the support means is disposed upstream of the cover.
The support means may be in the form of an elastomeric annular ring, a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pins, elastic fingers, ramps, or the like, any one of which is characterized in centering a ball on the centerline of the bore and holding the ball in place.
In use, with the cover open, a ball is placed within the barrel and seated against the support means. The cover is then closed and the pneumatic means actuated for injecting a blast of air through the barrel. At this time, there is no need for the ball to pass through the support means as the ball is seated on the side of the support means which is opposite from the pneumatic means for injecting a blast of air into the barrel. Repeated launchings of balls have shown that the balls are launched at a consistent velocity.
The launching device may also be provided with accessories, such as a positioning device for manipulating the ball into a seated fit in the support means.